In many aeration systems, porous ceramic domes are used to generate a large quantity of minute air bubbles that rise to the surface of the liquid being aerated in the waste water tank. There are usually a large number of similar domes mounted on molded polyvinyl chloride (PVC) saddle shaped mounting structures mounted in place on the top of the air pipe distribution system. These domes are usually distributed evenly across the bottom of the tank as is well know in the art.
In many of these wastewater treatment facilities, the air piping distribution systems are fabricated in plastic, usually of PVC piping with molded PVC saddle structures cemented to the air distribution pipes upon which the ceramic domes and their sealing gaskets are mounted. It has been found in some systems that after some period of use, that some of the saddle mounting supports become warped and allow an undue amount of the air that is pumped to these domes under some pressure, to escape in the form of large bubbles that are less oxygen efficient in the aeration process. Furthermore such leakage from under the domes, reduces the air pressure under the dome to render these domes less effective for the production of the required diffusion of small air bubbles that are required for the aeration process.
It has been noted that the portions of the PVC mounting saddles that are directly over the air distribution pipe to which they are cemented, are rather rigidly supported in place but the outside portions of the saddle structures that are spread out sidewise from the supporting pipe upon which the saddles are mounted, over some period of time, some of these outer sections tend to become warped downwardly thus pulling away from the rigid dome bolted at its center onto those domes. It has been found, due to this slight warpage in some of the saddle mounting means, that sufficient air has been allowed to escape from the formerly sealed air chamber formed under the dome mounted on those saddle means to interfere with the proper aeration of the liquid in the tank.
Typical prior art structures are shown in the following United States patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,272 to Branton, Oct. 6 1970, discloses the type of saddle mounting for which the present invention is particularly provided.
Other mounted ceramic aeration structures are shown in:
______________________________________ 3,768,788 to Candel Oct. 30, 1973; 4,007,240 to Gosden Feb. 8, 1977; 4,046,845 to Veeder Sept. 6, 1977; 4,788,394 to Ewing et al Sept. 8, 1981. ______________________________________